Relative Strength Calculator

Explanation:

The expression describing an athlete as “pound-for-pound” the strongest, refers to the relative strength of that athlete. This tool allows coaches to compare strength levels for athletes of varying body weights. For example, a large athlete may be able to lift a much larger amount of weight than a smaller athlete. However, the smaller athlete may be lifting more weight relative to his or her body weight than the larger athlete. To help a coach figure this out, this tool divides the lifting total by the athlete’s body weight, resulting in a number that is easily comparable to other athletes regardless of their size.

To illustrate this further, consider an athlete weighing 250 lbs squatting 525 lbs compared to an athlete weighing 160 lbs squatting 400 lbs. The heavier athlete’s relative strength would calculate at 2.1, while the lighter athlete’s relative strength would equal 2.5. In this case, the lighter athlete is lifting more weight relative to his or her body weight than the larger athlete, even though he or she is able to lift 125 more pounds. In order for the larger athlete to achieve a relative strength total equal to that of the lighter athlete, he or she would have to lift 625 lbs!

Simply enter in the athlete’s body weight and the maximum amount lifted in any exercise you choose and click ‘Calculate!’